Thursday, 30 August 2012

Robin Hood saga continues

The pub has closed, the locals are up in arms. An article has been published in the local press and more to follow. There is an attempt being made to have the building 'Listed' and enquiries are in hand to determine if a public footpath runs across the site.The pub's owners have given up on the pub and have advertised the site as suitable for residential development. So, the future of the site will depend on the planners and the planning committee. One can only hope there will be intensive lobbying by the Sherwood ward councillors. One of the ward councillor's has set the ball rolling:

The MP for Tunbridge Wells is a government minister with responsibility for planning policy. He has championed also the concept of localism and attends events in Sherwood on a regular basis. He must know about the problems of Sherwood and the investment that has gone into the area - a new community centre and family centre for starters. It is not good for the community that a venue for adults to socialise has been closed as three days' notice. Indeed, the only pub in the area.It will be an interesting test for the planners when coming to their decision on the informal application (refer to in the link). Will they embrace the opinions of local people or will the developer win?Update:This is an interesting article:

Nicholas Ide, head of planning and development at Tunbridge Wells estate agents and surveyors Batcheller Monkhouse, said the site would be "attractive" to developers, because it was within the town's built-up area, adding: "It's quite a prominent site and there is no doubt the council doesn't want it to become run down like the cinema site."

Mr Ide said anyone wishing to build homes on the site would have to prove there was no longer demand for the pub, however.